Reading the past in the present [Maybe-spoilers]

Along with our usual monthly comics last month, I'd ordered a copy of the paperback of A Death in the Family (the story of Jason Todd's death), which I'd ordered because I'd read the Under the Hood books, which I'd ordered because of Jason Todd being in Countdown, which I'd probably started to order when I discovered that GL Kyle was going to be in it. Because that's how I end up buying things I've never heard of. :)

Anyway, since I got it from my comic supplier rather than from Amazon, I didn't get whatever current version of it exists, I got the one that actually came out in 1988. Once I had gotten past the novelty of reading a comic that was printed on newsprint--newsprint has a very different feel to it than current comics, in some ways nicer to the touch, although of course today's books look much better and are probably far more durable--I settled down to read it.

It...wasn't bad. Very much a comic of the past, but comparing it mentally to what I was actually reading at the time, I'd say it was similar in quality. A lot of the time, when I read older comics, I'm actually re-reading them, and they have that "nostalgia bump" that makes it uncertain whether they're actually good, or good because I'm seeing them through my teenage eyes. This time it was all new, and presumably free of that effect.

That is, it was pretty good...right up to the issue where Jason Todd died. What happened after that? (Which, and this is why the spoilers tag is in the title, had to do with the Joker being made Iranian ambassador to the US. Um, what?) Not so much. A definite argument against putting too much of real world politics in your comics.

But on the whole--and since this is really the only thing I've read featuring Jason as Robin in the old days, it could be an exception--I was pretty impressed, and a little surprised to see that Jason's characterization then was not incompatible with his characterization now. I don't think that means I want to read more of the Todd-era Batman comics (Batman himself is a bit dull), but if they're all like this I'd consider it.

I was amused, though, by one of the review quotes on the back of the book--and keep in mind that this came out in 1988:

"It would be a really sleazy stunt to bring him back."
--Denny O'Neil, Editor , Batman Comics

Since I've been enjoying what I've seen of the character, I'd have to disagree, but it's interesting that the idea occurred to anyone back then.